a Vision of Love

For all of the negative in this world - there is an infinite amount of positive. In my quest to return some sense of balance to the "spreading of news", I'm choosing to share the stories in my life that are the most positive. At least for today. :0)

My latest work with the PCRF children has supplied me with an abundance of smiles, gratitude and perspective - its given me a chance to see Life outside of my own struggles, wants and desires and through the eyes, hopes and dreams of those who start this great journey out with far less, but who sometimes give far more.

Meet Zain. She's 2 years old, from Gaza. She was born without eyes, and will sadly never see without a miracle. However, through the work of the PCRF and their teams of medical providers, Zain just received prosthetic eye lenses, even colored just like her mothers, so that she and her family can enjoy her life in as normal of a way as she can.

This little girl has stolen my heart completely. Because she cannot see, her sense of hearing is very developed and acute. She is a true music lover and I've often thought while watching her that I might be looking at the future's female version of Ray Charles. When she hears music, the rest of her world stops and she becomes fully engaged.

She also, not surprisingly, loves phones.

If you spent the day with her, you would mostly either see her swaying to the music (sometimes so faint in the background that no one else even notices) or holding a phone. Up until a few days ago one thing that I hadn't seen her do much was smile. Or laugh.




Until we put her on a swing.

I cannot tell you the last time I felt as happy as I did watching her on that swing - pushing her higher and higher and watching her sweet face react to the pull of gravity on her little tummy that resulted in recording worthy laughs and giggles.

Her little fingers clasped SO tight around the ropes that when it was time to go, I physically had to pull each of them off of the rope - one by one, much to her displeasure.

I'm not sure how much of Dubai I will remember when I leave and return to my life in the States, but one thing is for sure....this little girl is a vision of Love that I will never EVER forget.

(enter: Mariah Carey)


(Zain returned this morning to Gaza, complete with new prosthetic eyes and a glowing smile to match their twinkle - thank you, PCRF!)